La Vie En Rose
by Arohk
Summary: Time has passed and love has endured... But so have all the secrets. A series of mysteries begin to unravel and the heroic duo must face a new threat. What will happen when there is nowhere else to turn? Will love survive? Will Paris be saved? All will be revealed. Rated M for detailed violence, adult themes, language, and alcohol.
1. Welcome and Disclaimer

**AN:** Hey there!

This marks my first submitted work in a long time. Just in case you don't care to read my profile, I've been writing for 20 years and I use this place to put works that I have no other outlet for. I'm new to the Ladybug scene. To be honest, I wasn't so impressed for most the first season, but something about it pulled me in near the end and I am a huge sucker for romance, so here I am. Go easy on me with the super technical things, maybe. I strive to always stay as true to the original characters as possible. The inspiration came to me while looking for good related reading material and when I didn't find anything that quite scratched the itch, I decided to write one for myself. And everyone else, of course.

Forewarning that this takes place much later than the timeline of the show. By years. It will contain a range of mature subjects. Detailed violence, trauma, adult themes, drama, death, and alcohol. Never excessive amounts of anything. This story will contain a lot of build up so if you're just here for smut and instant gratification, move along. That being said, the romance and plot will mostly revolve around LadyNoir, Ladrien, and Adrinette. And as a disclaimer, I don't own any of the characters or stories that have taken place. Just the original characters that might poke around and of course the story itself.

If you like it or hate it, feel free to leave a review. I know I can't please everyone, but I hope you enjoy the story. Updates will come as fast as my inspiration will allow. You can also contact me for whatever reason you might have. Thanks for reading in advance!

-Arohk


	2. Chapter 1

It began with an end.

In a dazzling display of pathetic fallacy, the rain was falling cold- as if weeping like the faces around them. Marinette was not crying, but by the sniffles surrounding her, she knew that the mourners were. It felt odd to be among them. Marinette usually dressed in bright, cute clothing; but right now, she wore a black dress shirt and pants. She shielded herself from the rain with an equally as dark umbrella and watched as they lowered the coffin into the grave. It was not the funeral that she would have expected for Wang Fu. In fact, Marinette had not expected a funeral at all. It had come suddenly, as most things did.

One day, Marinette had received a call from a lady she could not recognize the voice of. She could tell it was a matter of business. Wang Fu had left it in his will to inform Marinette of his passing. At first, the young woman had not been able to process it. How could a man whom had lived for so long simply be gone? She hadn't known him well, but he had been a guiding light for those times that she had needed him. Plus, Tikki had very much rejoiced the first time that they were able to reunite. Now, she didn't need to guess or even see her Kwami to know that she was sad.

What was going to happen to the rest of the Miraculous? For that matter, what did it mean for her and Cat Noir? That uncomfortable feeling of uncertainty settling into her stomach was telling her that nothing good could come of this mysterious and unexpected event. With a heavy-hearted sigh, she returned her eyes to the fresh grave and hoped that whatever would come of this would not effect her ability to keep Paris safe. A talk with Tikki was in her near future.

From the window, he watched the proceedings. The rain spat against the tinted window in which Plagg pressed his face. Adrien frowned and wished that he could console the little cat Kwami. It was seldom that Plagg was anything but sassy.  
"I'm sorry, Plagg." He murmured, showing his tiny friend concern. They were sitting in the back of his limo with the driver's window closed. Adrien was not dressed for the funeral and had no intention of getting out to pay respect. He had come because Plagg had informed him of the gravity of the situation. He didn't even see Marinette standing there, for her back was turned and her attire and the way she held her umbrella shielded her. The blond was hesitant to suggest that they leave, especially when Plagg said nothing in return. After a couple more minutes of silence, Adrien cleared his throat.  
"Maybe we should let them be."  
Plagg's posture immediately drooped and he peeled himself away from the window and seemed remiss, eyes downcast.  
"I guess you're right." He finally replied glumly. Adrien offered a small, understanding smile.  
"I'm sure he wouldn't want to see you this way." But he didn't dare tell Plagg to cheer up.  
"I know." One last glance over his shoulder and the Kwami squirmed back into Adrien's messenger bag, becoming still within it afterwards.

Once Plagg was out of sight, Adrien pressed the button near his wrist to drop the driver window.  
"Take me home please, Preston."  
"Of course, sir." With a nod and a smile, the driver looked over his shoulder and then back at the road. The window went back up after that and Adrien sat back with a soft sigh. It was something of a terrible thought, but it had almost been a relief to do something outside of college and running his father's company.

It had been well over a year since Gabriel Agreste had disappeared, leaving a lost Adrien behind. Wherever he had gone, Adrien assumed that it was the same place as his mother. Both disappearances had been abrupt and had certainly left a hole in his life. A hurricane of questions and media coverage had followed in the wake of absence that his father had left behind. Out of costume, Adrien didn't quite know how to handle the media in his face. While it was true that he was photographed and followed in his time as a model, it was different than being bombarded and hounded for answers about someone he barely even knew. Of course, there had always been respect and a certain love for his father- and most definitely a drive to please him, Adrien always felt the massive distance that Gabriel put between them. And now he was gone.

Even more troubling was the fact that just as soon as his father disappeared, things on the villain front had become quiet. In fact, Paris had fallen into a time of peace following that terrible morning when Nathalie called to inform him that Gabriel had not shown up to his important meeting. It had only enforced the slowly sneaking suspicion in Adrien's mind. It had only presented him with one cold, saddening fact: that Hawkmoth and his father were one in the same. It was unspeakable and to this day, the sour notion still sickened Adrien's heart. He couldn't even tell Ladybug. Even when presented with such evidence and in the dead of night, he still begged for it not to be true; and for his father to return and make everything better. But such things were not to be, and Adrien had to either let Gabriel's empire fall or step up to take it himself.

Filling the famous designer's shoes was harder than Adrien had ever imagined. He wasn't unable to fully assume legal control without a degree in business, so he had started college immediately. Acting as a surrogate CEO and getting good grades were extremely hard things to balance. There were times when he had to miss important meetings or lectures and as hard as he tried to please everyone, it only ended in one side getting angry with him. It seemed that everyone was a critic and at times, Adrien felt rather defeated. If it weren't for some familiar faces to get him through the difficult times, he knew that he would never have managed. Thanks to people like Marinette, Chloe, and Nino, he could find his way. Not to mention Ladybug. The streets may have been safe from super villains and Akuma, but they were not free from crime.

During the lull, Ladybug and himself had taken to responding solely to distress calls and crime. Petty thefts here, a cat up a tree there. At first, it had been nice to help people who weren't in deep peril, but the ease of effort had quickly lost it's luster. Although Ladybug never commented on it, he knew that she must be as bored as he was. It still felt good to assist people directly, but the Miraculous had not been made and given to replace what police could already do. But still, the team persevered and Adrien was as in love with Ladybug as he was the first day they had worked together. Perhaps more. Definitely more. She still acted with such grace and accepted how things were as their glory days were put behind them.

Adrien was reflecting all of this out of the window of the limousine as it pulled into the driveway of his mansion. It was parked a good few minutes before his dry, staring eyeballs needed a blink and watered slightly. Grunting, Adrien wiped the daze out of his eyes and looked up as the door was opened for him.  
"Home, sir." Preston announced, standing aside so that the young master could disembark the vehicle.  
"Thanks." He sounded a bit tired as he stood and shouldered his bag, heading for the front door. Inside, Gorilla awaited his arrival. He had neglected to come at Adrien's behest so that the blond could maintain privacy. Mostly for Plagg. Somewhat for himself. Privacy was a rare commodity in Adrien's life now, after all.

With a lofty wave, Adrien was heading up to his bedroom to rest the remainder of the day away. Setting his bag down carefully, Adrien waited for Plagg to come out and hoped that the funk he was in wouldn't last. It was too weird to see someone so normally energetic become so terribly sad.  
"I bought extra of your favorite Camembert." He offered and watched as a twinkle of satisfaction spark in Plagg's green eyes.  
"Thanks, I'm hungry." There was a small smile on the Kwami's face.  
"You're always hungry."  
"Maybe." The little black cat retorted with some semblance of his usual haughty nature. Adrien only watched, pleased, as Plagg hovered closer to his desk where an arranged plate of his favorite cheese sat waiting, as promised. The Kwami proceeded to enjoy it in silence as Adrien flopped back onto the bed, staring up at his ceiling as the grey day continued outside of his window. He wondered just how his friends were doing and missed when times were simpler.

As Marinette walked away from the funeral, she pulled her phone out of her pocket and navigated her contacts to send a text to Alya. The two had kept in constant contact over the years and Marinette still considered her the best friend she had ever made. She sometimes longed for the days when they went to school together- but Marinette shone every time she proudly announced that Alya had made it big thanks to her Ladyblog. Not only had it become a household name, but Alya had landed herself a sweet job at Vogue as a social team manager. Marinette was just the tiniest bit jealous of the fact that Alya had been able to forgo college and rise straight to the top of her dream job. Even though Alya still had no idea who she really was under the mask, Marinette still confided in her about everything else.  
 _Coming away from the funeral now. It sure is hard to sit through all of the emotion around me._  
She sent the text and knew it would be some time before Alya would respond. Marinette slipped her phone back into her pocket and reached up to lightly pat her purse, assuring Tikki silently that they would be home soon and could talk if the Kwami wanted to.

"I'm home!" Marinette announced as she entered the bakery. Now that she was older, she had taken part-time work there in between her studies and classes.  
"Welcome home, sweetheart. How was it?" Sabine asked her daughter as the door to their business and home opened and closed.  
"Beautiful, mom. And sad." She admitted softly. Her mother nodded in understanding.  
"Well, you get some rest. Maybe we'll order in tonight." It was always a treat and it put a smile on Marinette's face.  
"Thanks mom. I'll go up to my room. Just call me when it's in, alright?"  
"Of course, dear."  
Just as Marinette was about to disappear upstairs, Sabine's voice came again.  
"Oh! Wait! Someone called while you were gone. About a will? Apparently something was left for you." She called up, peering up at Marinette, who had paused on the stairs. There was a clear confused look on the girl's face as the news broke. _Something for me?_ She thought and then shook her head.  
"Err, thanks. I'll listen to the message." Marinette replied and then finished her ascent into the upstairs.

It was quiet upstairs and as soon as Marinette was in the living room, she made her way over to the phone and sat down. As far as she knew, Wang Fu had no reason to leave her anything unless it had to do with the Miraculous. Or maybe he had given a reason as to why he had passed! Her pulse was pounding and just as she pressed play, Tikki flew out from her bag. It seemed that the Kwami was just as eager to hear the message. It made Marinette jump a little and she exchanged a sheepish glance with her little friend.  
"Hello, this is Clarisse calling from the notary in Paris for Marinette Dupain-Cheng. On behalf of Mr. Fu, there is something that he wishes to leave you. I have a warrant that you can use at his residence to pick up what you are owed from the will. If you could call back or visit our office, we would like to hear from you."  
Marinette listened as Clarisse continued to give the number and address of which they could be reached and she cast a bewildered glance at Tikki shortly after.

"What do you think he could have left me?" She asked, wondering if the Kwami would know. But Tikki looked just as taken aback as Marinette did and shook her head.  
"I don't know, but it must be important. Master Fu never did anything without reason." There was a tint of sadness to her voice, and Marinette could understand why. She cupped her hand in invitation, and Tikki came to rest in her palm.  
"I have school tomorrow but after that, we can go and see what it's about. I'm sorry to make you wait." She knew Tikki would understand, but she still didn't like putting off something so important.  
"It's okay, Marinette. You don't have to be sorry. I'm sure Master Fu would understand too." Even if it would give them answers, she knew that the days where Marinette could just be aloof in her attendance to classes were gone. College was a lot different than highschool, and though the hammer didn't fall as harshly on those who skipped, it was still crucial just for the homework alone that Marinette attend every class. She was no longer a kid with no responsibilities.

"What a day, Tikki!" Marinette flung herself backwards onto her bed with a huff and Tikki hovered close. Realizing that her friend had endured much for her, she closed in and pressed a hand to her forehead as Marinette's eyes closed.  
"You did really well. Thank you for taking me, Marinette." Tikki said softly.  
"You're welcome. Funerals just... Aren't my thing." Marinette tried to always be a positive person and funerals... They were too sad.  
"I don't think they are anyone's 'thing'." The Kwami giggled and took her hand from her friend's head. Marinette opened her eyes and smiled.  
"True."  
Just then, her phone buzzed and she remembered that she had texted Alya earlier. One look and sure enough- it was her best friend.

Marinette held her phone high above her head and read the message.  
 _You still got through it, girl. You got this. Who was he, anyway?_  
She thought for a moment, unsure of what to tell Alya. Seeing that Marinette was busy now, Tikki settled herself away under the bed where Marinette now kept a nice pillow for her to sleep on. It was out of the way and completely benign, so her parents never questioned it or looked closely.  
 _Just someone that I used to know._  
Marinette replied before her forearm sank to cover her eyes and forehead from the pale light seeping in through her window. Everything was silent except for the gentle tick of her clock and the patter of rain drizzling at the glass. Just what had Wang Fu left her? It was going to eat away at her until she could find out. And she knew she had purposefully been vague with her answer to Alya. There were just some secrets that needed to remain. She hadn't known Wang Fu all that well, but the respect had been there and she still held admiration for how long he had dutifully kept his passion for the Miraculous. Of all the losses during her career as Ladybug, this one had been the greatest blow. For now, neither her nor Cat Noir would know the secrets that Wang Fu had possessed. And they would be left to solve all of the mysteries about their powers and the rest of the Miraculous by themselves.

The next day came all-too-quickly and Marinette found herself watching a demonstration on how to hand-sew a particularly tricky stitch. After everything, she had decided to pursue her artistic side and entered college to become a fashion designer, jokingly claiming that Alya would soon be writing about her instead of Gabriel Agreste. It had been a shock to both of them when he had disappeared and unfortunately, just like any of the fashion magazines, she had been hounded to pester Adrien for information by her boss. Another reason she had been listed high on the ranking for Vogue's most valuable assets. Being old friends with the son of the awol, famous designer was a tie not ignored by Alya's people.

Marinette found herself daydreaming both about what awaited her at the notary and where her mind frequently ended up: Adrien. Ah, Adrien. Time had tested her patience but not her affection. She had yet to be rid of her klutzy nature and still bumbled through some of her sentences like an idiot whenever he was near, but she wasn't quite as bad as she used to be with a fledgling crush. It had matured and blossomed into something she could only label as love. Never before or after had she ever felt so deeply about someone, and Adrien was still as oblivious ever and it sometimes frustrated Marinette. How could he not see how she felt about him? Men were so much more complicated and ignorant than they gave themselves credit for. It was a shame that they didn't share any classes, for she only saw him on her lunch break or on the rare times that he actually had time to spend with her after school.

That same day, Adrien sat in on another droning lesson about the intricacies of a company and how to run it. There was one familiar face in the classes that he took- and that was Chloe. As the sole heiress to Le Grand Paris, her father had required her to learn everything from A to Z when it came to running a hotel. This meant that like Adrien, she needed her license and a degree stating that she was capable. It had been both a relief and a curse to be put into the same classes. Chloe was no less smitten with Adrien, but she had least settled down in the physical contact department. It didn't stop her from hovering around him constantly and Adrien had at least grown to like having someone like her care about him. He still preferred to hang out with Nino or Marinette, but it was easy to be around Chloe during class time. They always sat together and today Chloe was tapping her pencil back and forth on the desk beside him, blowing bubbles of pink from between her lips as she chewed her gum. He had to admire her commitment as well. She was excelling at her classes and truly seemed to be putting the effort in to learn the ropes.

When lunch came, they went their separate ways and Adrien made his way to the cafeteria where he knew Marinette would be waiting for him. Her classes always got out a few minutes earlier than his, so he always looked for her. Left on silent, Adrien had not gotten notice of a text from Nino until he dug it out of his pocket, ignoring the hushed whispers that seemed to follow him everywhere these days. One would think that after a year, they would all get tired of talking. It made him wistful for the days when Nino could be at his side whenever they wanted. His best friend had struck out on his own as a freelance DJ, often traveling from one end of France to the other to do gigs at clubs that demanded talent.  
 _Got a show in Paris tonight! Drinks after?_  
Adrien smiled and thought about his workload. As long as Ladybug didn't end up needing him, he knew he could swing a late night get together with Nino.  
 _You know it. Count me in. Text me the details as soon as you can!_  
Adrien replied and looked up from his phone in time to see Marinette standing in the lunch line and saving his spot like always.

"Marinette!" Adrien greeted happily as he came to a stop beside her.  
"H-Hey Adrien! How was class?"  
"Boring as usual. But useful." He shrugged, getting in line and pulling out his wallet.  
"Awh. Well. You're doing great. It'll be Spring Break before you know it!"  
"I wish. I don't think I'd mind it if I wasn't so busy all the time." Adrien gave her a smile that screamed about his stress levels. It was tight and thin and so unlike the usual smiles that Marinette was used to seeing from him. It made her heart sink a little as she watched him.  
"Can I get you lunch today?" He offered. Marinette snapped out of it and her heart fluttered a little. He was always doing nice things like this.  
"That's really nice of you. Thank you."  
"No problem."  
There was a short pause between them before Marinette hesitantly spoke up. Usually Adrien liked to pretend like there was nothing wrong. But Marinette had known him long enough to know better than that.  
"I'm sorry that you're so swamped. If there was something that I could do, you know that I would do it, right?"  
"Of course, Marinette." Adrien smiled at her more genuinely this time and she could feel a warmth come over her that only he could give.

It was the highlight of the day every time that they shared lunch together. For both of them. Adrien could always be himself around Marinette and she couldn't help her stomach's acrobatics as they chatted and she ate her sandwich. Just for that half hour, all of their troubles seemed far away and they were just two people enjoying each other's company and that was the best thing that they could have asked for. The rest of the day was filled with more lectures and as classes drew to a close, Adrien was looking forward to that drink with Nino.

Of course, Adrien showed up early enough to catch the show. The darkness that shrouded the dance floor and all of the dancers was a blessed reprieve from the prying eyes that watched him wherever he went. Inside, Adrien let himself dance and laugh and have fun. He cheered the loudest after each song that his friend put on and made sure to make a generous donation to the tip jar when all was said and done. As the next DJ took over close to midnight, Adrien found himself standing in front of the neon at the bar and waiting for his best friend to arrive. It only took a moment and they immediately grinned at each other and clasped hands, going in for a solid shoulder bump.  
"It feels like it's been forever, bro!" Nino yelled over the thump of the music and took a seat on one of the bar stools beside him. Adrien joined him and the two ordered drinks. A martini for Adrien that matched his eyes and just a beer for Nino.

"So... You've just kept bouncing between a bunch of messes this whole time? I mean, I know we don't get to hang out like we used to but you're always open about telling me everything that's up, right?" Nino asked after listening to the woes that Adrien unloaded. The blond nodded and took a swig of his drink.  
"I am. It's just that... I don't ever want to really bother you with my problems. You're doing so well and I'm still stuck here cleaning up after my father." Adrien spoke just barely above the music, looking down in light shame at the top of the counter. Nino just shook his head, leaned right over, and promptly delivered a good-natured noogie right into his best friend's scalp.  
"Hey!"  
"Listen, you're my bro! And I don't mean just a great friend. You're like, my brother. I always want to hear about things. Good or bad. I'm always here for you. So you better start telling me everything." Nino chuckled and then grinned, taking his hand away before Adrien could swat it.  
"Okay, okay! Jeez." Adrien felt better about the whole thing already.  
"I promise I won't just keep things from you like that. It's been a lot and I honestly feel like there's a weight off my chest just talking to you, Nino."  
"What are friends for?" Nino hooked the arm that had been hovering near Adrien around the blond's shoulders and gave him a sideways hug. Adrien smiled and counted himself lucky that he had the friends that he did.

It was late when Adrien got home and his head felt light with the buzz that he had gotten- not just from his drink but from the awesome time he had with Nino. Unfortunately, it was going to be a while before he had the free time to spend staying out with Nino; and his best friend would continue to tour as well. But it had been excellent to catch up and receive reassurance that his problems mattered. He knew that they did- it was just nice to hear it once and a while. Adrien wiggled out of his jacket as soon as he entered his bedroom and went to climb into bed for the night. Every inch of him felt satisfied after the night of fun. He fell asleep face-down in his pillow without a care in the world.

... And that was when the dreams would come for him.

 **AN** : You've made it through the first chapter! I hope you enjoyed it. This one was mostly to establish what has happened, where the characters are in their lives, and bring some plot points forward as a set up for the next chapter. Action and more mystery to follow! I have no idea how long this will end up or how many chapters there will be. But expect that I will write until the story has run it's course. There will be plenty of romance and I promise good payoff later. Take care!


	3. Chapter 2

Adrien found himself standing in a field of gossamer grass. The fine blades tickled at his heels and only upon looking down did he realize that he was dressed as Cat Noir. The air smelled sweet and he closed his eyes as the breeze brushed against the skin of his face. It was only when his eyes were shut that he sensed someone behind him. He turned immediately, eyes flicking open and he was delighted to see Ladybug standing halfway across the field from him. A quick grin found his lips and he wasted no time in dashing towards her with a waving hand held high above his head. Nothing could describe the feeling that he got whenever they were together. And he was always overjoyed to see his partner, even if she did reject every advance that he gave her.

"Ladybug! Good afternoon, m'lady!" Cat Noir greeted enthusiastically as he approached. Ladybug stood waiting, hands folded behind her back in a playful little pose that invited him closer. The black cat stopped a couple of feet away and watched as Ladybug took a couple steps back.  
"Hmm... Catch me if you can, Kitty!" She lifted a hand and beckoned Cat Noir with her index finger and promptly turned away from him with a smirk, taking off through the grass at a pace that she knew he could match. With a chortle, he chased after her. There was a certain thrill about a game of cat and mouse. Or cat and ladybug, in this case.

Either way, the pair gallivanted through the silky grass and Cat Noir laughed softly, feeling as though there wasn't a care in the world.  
"Just wait until I catch you!" He called to her, purposefully holding off on reaching maximum speed.  
"And you'll do what? Flatter me to death with your cliché flirting?" Ladybug shot back over her shoulder with good-natured sass.  
"Why don't you stop and find out?" Cat Noir invited loudly and was surprised when Ladybug came to a screeching halt. He had to dig his heels into the dirt to stop before he slammed into her. They were both a little short of breath when Ladybug turned and the duo came face-to-face. They often shared close proximity and joked around, but for some reason, this moment felt different.

Heat was slowly creeping into Cat Noir's cheeks, giving the skin beneath his mask a rosy tint. His heart danced as Ladybug seemed to notice and giggled at him. She quirked a brow.  
"Well? I'm waiting."  
She had a way of taking the wind out of his sails when it came to banter. More and more, Cat Noir found himself disarmed when they were near. All of his flirting over the years had yet to plant the seed of truth within Ladybug, unfortunately. She still thought he was joking or being a silly womanizer with her. But what she failed to see was that he only had eyes for her and his comments focused only on one lady. His lady. And now her expectant eyes were gazing into his.

He swallowed thickly and dared to lift a hand. For a scary moment, he wasn't even sure what he was going to do with it. They had touched before. Hugged. Fist-bumped. Poked and prodded each other. But for some reason whenever he decided to try and be serious, Ladybug pulled away or he lost his nerve. Cat Noir's hand trembled as it hovered in the air, but this time Ladybug didn't pull away. He was able to place his hand successfully on her shoulder. His lime green eyes flicked to his brave hand and back to her face. She seemed so unimpressed.  
"That's it? Not going to woo me?"  
"Ladybug..." Cat Noir murmured, trying to start what he wanted to say. His heart began to pound with increasing ferocity.

That was when he heard a rumble in the distance. It snapped him out of his romantic stupor and he glanced up at the sky. Until that very moment, the sun had been shining and the breeze had been warm. Now a chill swept through the field and he found that it bit straight into his skin through the fabric of his costume. Something was coming. The sky was quickly becoming overcast and menacing clouds were rolling in and choking off the sunlight faster than he could fathom. Instead of amorous fluttering, Cat Noir was filled with concern. When he looked back at Ladybug, she was still waiting for him to continue and didn't seem to notice the strange weather at all. Or that he was frowning now.

"What's going on?"  
"What do you mean?"  
Cat Noir instantly knew something was wrong and removed his hand from Ladybug's shoulder, looking around them. The color was draining from the grass- turning the landscape a cold grey that gave a sense of impending doom.  
"Don't you see what's happening?" He asked, looking back to her. Ladybug didn't respond and Cat Noir licked his lips, starting to feel a little desperate for validation.  
"I don't like this. I think that we should go." The blond's eyes darted around, expecting something to happen at any second. Now Ladybug was frowning, but for reasons Cat Noir couldn't discern. As he opened his mouth to speak once more, the ground around him heaved and quaked as if disturbed by a great and terrible force. It nearly knocked both of them off their feet and Cat Noir caught Ladybug's wrist as the two stumbled to regain their footing.

"Are you okay?" Cat asked and Ladybug nodded back, seeming troubled finally. Before he could suggest a course of action, the ground shook again and this time, more violently. A few seconds passed and it didn't stop; a few more and large, rectangular stone pillars began to erupt from the dirt all around them. More thunder echoed ominously overhead but it was barely heard above the grinding of stone as the landscape was filled with identical pillars... That greatly resembled the skyscrapers of downtown Paris.  
"RUN!" Ladybug yelled before she turned, jerking her hand away from his as she fled the area. Cat Noir was right behind her- and not a moment too soon. The space in which they had stood was overtaken by another rising pillar. It seemed like every step they took was full of peril.

This time, Cat was not shy in matching her speed as they dodged the cement walls that engulfed the world around them. They were helpless and when Cat Noir reached for his staff, he ended up grasping nothing but air. A quick glance confirmed that he was unarmed and all he could to was hurtle forward with Ladybug in hopes of outrunning the invading spires. Somewhere along the way, Ladybug tripped with a yelp and came tumbling down behind him. Cat Noir skidded to a stop and spun around to see Ladybug picking herself up off the ground.  
"Lady!" He had only started towards her when flames sprang to life everywhere around them. Cat Noir stopped before the wall of fire that divided them could singe his clothing off. He blinked away from the sudden brightness and shielded his face from the burning heat for a moment.

The fire quickly became too high for him to jump over and the smoke was immediately invasive, causing both heroes to cough and duck down. Around them in a giant circle, the stone city had formed a cage that spelled their certain death. They were trapped together and yet still separated. Ladybug reached down for her yo-yo but as soon as she plucked it from her waist it turned into a white-hot ball in her hand and she cried out in surprise and pain as it scorched her hand. She dropped within seconds and clutched her wounded hand close to her chest, at a loss of what to do next. Cat could barely see her through the dancing flames but he had heard her pain and his heart sank.  
"Ladybug! Please! Are you okay!?" He called out again, the roar of that fire somehow impossibly loud.  
"Cat!" Ladybug yelled back, sounding desperate and scared. The fire had begun to close in around her and all he could to was watch. Unlike her, the flames seemed to be keeping their distance from him. One look around and he could see that not even the stone was safe; the flames were weaving all the way to the tops of the skyscrapers and despite it being cement, the flames were it eating away and the buildings and sending ashes and debris raining down on them.

"Help!" Ladybug pleaded, snapping Cat Noir's attention back to her. A moment of panic overcame him. The fire had almost reached his precious Ladybug and there was nothing he could do. They were both suffocating from the smoke and the heat was making him sweat his clothes. He didn't even think Lucky Charm or Cataclysm could save them now. He was desperate and his best effort just wasn't good enough! It wasn't long before Ladybug's piercing scream made his ears ring and he flinched at the sound, his heart breaking. Fire had began to climb her outfit, searing her skin and burning up her clothing. Cat did the only think he could think of and plunged his hand into the wall that had blocked him from her. Immediately, the fire destroyed his glove and burned his flesh, leaving nasty blisters where his skin bubbled angrily.

"Take my hand!" Cat Noir howled at her and then grit his teeth. He would endure this pain for her. He would do _anything_ for her.  
"Please! Take it!" He cried, biting back tears that brimmed and burned in his eyes. But Ladybug couldn't make it to him. The fire continued to incinerate both her and her clothing. She reached out for him but couldn't reach and Cat had never seen her so scared before. Blue met green as their eyes locked and just as the fire began to dissolve her mask, there was a soft and malicious laughter from a faceless voice that he didn't recognize and Adrien awoke in bed, sweating up a storm and sat bolt upright in the darkness.  
"NO!" He shrieked into the silence of his room, startling Plagg awake and panting through his panic. It took him about ten seconds to realize that it had all been a nightmare and he was, in fact, safe in his bed. His heart was racing and he couldn't get that image of Ladybug out of his head as he threw off his covers and got to his feet, eyes wide and mouth dry.

"What's wrong?" Plagg asked sleepily and rubbed at his eyes as he watched Adrien go over to his bedroom window. The blond couldn't bring himself to reply, that terrible scream still echoing in his ears. He clutched at the semi-transparent drapes and peered out into the quiet, moonlit night. Everything was peaceful. Nothing was burning. But the aching of his heart made him want to leave and seek Ladybug out immediately- even though he knew that she wouldn't be up and about at this time of night.  
"Kid?" His Kwami persisted, approaching carefully. Plagg's voice was still lost on him as Adrien stared out the window. Frowning, the little cat leaned in to observe the man's troubled face. He saw that Adrien's cheeks were flushed an intense red.  
"Adrien?"  
Still no reply. Plagg reached out to touch his cheek and found that he was hot to the touch.  
"You're burning up!"  
"I... It was a dream... Just... A really bad dream." Adrien finally spoke, seeming dazed. Plagg just looked confused and concerned as he withdrew his hand and hovered beside him. The Kwami was so very lost as Adrien gripped the curtains tighter, the silvery light of the moon spilling across his bedroom floor.

Adrien swallowed and licked at his lips.  
"Only a dream..." He said again as if trying to convince himself of the fact. Somehow, this self-reassurance didn't do a thing and he was left vowing to himself that he would find Ladybug the next day and confirm that she was still okay. He looked down at his hand, half-expecting to see that his wrist had been burned. But it was unharmed. Of course it was. It seemed so silly to be so worked up about a nightmare, but he had never experienced anything like it before. And he hoped that he never would again.

The next day was Saturday and that meant that school was out. Normally, it was a day for homework or jobs, but Marinette had opted to take the day off. Usually, she would transform into Ladybug and join Cat Noir in patrolling the streets, but today she had a different mission. She would apologize for skipping out on him later, but finding out what Wang Fu had left her was more important than keeping up appearances today. With Tikki safely tucked inside of her bag, she was already en route to the old shop where he had resided. It felt odd going there under the pretense of simply inheriting something from the wise old man. She doubted that anyone else in Fu's life would have known about the Miraculous, and as she quietly entered the humble little store, she smiled awkwardly.  
"Hello?"

A woman, but not the representative that Marinette had spoken to on the phone, was waiting for her inside. From her appearance, Marinette couldn't tell whether she had been a part of Wang Fu's removed family or if she was simply from the agency; but she didn't intend to ask.  
"You must be Marinette." The woman spoke, and she had a kind, soothing sort of voice.  
"Yes. It's good to meet you." She watched as the woman smiled and it eased her nerves a little bit.  
"Then you are here to pick up what was left to you." It wasn't so much a question as it was an observation. Marinette nodded all the same and pulled out a slip of paper from her purse.  
"I am. And I don't mean to be too forward about it, but what exactly did Mr. Fu leave me?" She questioned, the term 'Mr.' falling foreign on her tongue as she fought to resist the honorific of 'master'.

The lady gave a soft, dismissive wave of her hand to indicate that she didn't think Marinette rude for asking. It was, after all, business.  
"Not forward at all." She turned away from Marinette and went to a small cabinet at the far end of the room and for a moment, Marinette's heart skipped a beat. This was it. The moment of truth. She could almost _feel_ Tikki listening from within her purse.  
"It's not much, I'm afraid." The woman informed, rifling through a stack of papers until she found the correct document.  
"Ah, here it is." She turned back around and crossed the room, offering up the paper to Marinette.  
"It seems that Mr. Fu has left you his phone."

Out of all the things that he could have possibly left Marinette- it was his _phone_? But why? It didn't make any sense. The confusion apparently was plain on her face as she looked down in disbelief at the paper where it was written. The woman before her chuckled and crossed her arms.  
"Were you expecting something else?"  
"I... No. This is great. Thank you." She put a smile on her face and looked back at the lady as she stepped aside.  
"I'll go and collect it for you right now." And with that, she disappeared into the back room, leaving Marinette to ponder over the gift she was about to receive. Her brows were knitted together as she thought hard. Surely there was a reason why he hadn't chose to give her something else...

And that was when she remembered.

The pictures!

Eyes wide, Marinette glanced down at the paper and then back up to the quiet room. Of course! Before the Miraculous Spellbook had been returned to the vault, Wang Fu had taken pictures of it with his phone to keep a record of it without causing problems! That must be the reason why she was being given his phone! Her heart started beating faster at the realization and she dropped her hands to her sides as she waited. Inside the phone, she knew there was going to be more information. And it made sense that he couldn't entrust it to anyone else but her. She made a silent promise right then and there to protect those secrets with her life and do her best to sort through the missing pieces. Marinette could only hope that there would be clues as to why Wang Fu had passed in the first place.

She was waiting with bated breath as the woman returned to the room. But she had a frown on her face now. Oh no.  
"I'm sorry, Marinette. I can't seem to find it. I could have sworn it was gathered safely with the rest of his belongings... I thought I saw it just yesterday when I was preparing it to be handed off to you." She reached up to touch the side of her head, feeling as though she had lost her mind. Marinette's stomach dropped. This did not seem like a coincidence.  
"I'm going to make a few calls. I'm so sorry to have called you here for nothing. If I would have realized sooner that it was missing, I would have delayed the meeting."  
"Oh... That's no problem at all." Marinette fought to keep the disheartened tone out of her voice. This smelled of trouble up and down. Who would do such a thing? And more importantly, who would know enough to steal Wang Fu's phone in the first place? She wondered if she was jumping to too many conclusions but there were a hundred thoughts racing through her head.  
"If it turns up, you'll be the first one to know." The woman assured her. Marinette nodded and had the sinking feeling that it was not going to just turn up.

After that, she left, feeling even more confused than before. That whole thing had raised more questions than it had answered. At least she knew what it was that was intended for her and even why he had left it to her. But the phone's disappearance had thrown a wrench into the entire thing. Marinette fretted about it all the way home.

"Where _is_ she?" Cat Noir asked himself as he waited at their usual meeting place underneath the Eiffel Tower. The tourist crowds had mostly cleared out for the evening to go to dinner and other engagements and he was still waiting for Ladybug to show up. Of all days for her to be late or... Missing... It would have to be this day. The blond superhero had done nothing but worry all day. The nightmare that he had during the night still lingered in his mind and had only served to give rise to his impatience. He had arrived earlier than usual and every hour had felt like a year. He kept asking himself the same questions. What if his dream had been an omen? What if Ladybug was hurt? What if he'd never see her again? What if, what if, _what if_!? It was infuriating. He had never been so utterly driven crazy by the fact that Ladybug wasn't at his side.

At first, Cat had stood leaning casually against the foot of the Eiffel Tower. His patience then had been fresh. As the day drew on towards the noon hour, he had taken to crossing his arms and tapping his foot. Of course, it didn't help that his heroism was generally not required like it used to be and he had nothing to occupy himself than with the horrible notion that something was wrong. When he had grown stiff from standing in the same spot, Cat Noir had begun pacing. With his hands folded behind his back, he paced for a couple hours and no one bothered him since he looked busy and deep in thought. After that and with a growling stomach, he had helped an old lady with a ridiculous sum of groceries that she had bought at a nearby market and she had been kind enough to offer him a packaged sandwich. How one granny could go through all that food baffled him. But she was kind and he still loved helping people.

Unfortunately that job had lasted him all of 15 minutes and after that, he was back to worrying and waiting. It was unlike Ladybug to be late. Finally, Cat Noir sat down, checking the electronic comm hidden within his staff. The screen simply showed the symbol of a cat paw and nothing else. No messages. No calls. Just silence. He checked it several more times as the sun began to set and then stood back up. He knew that he couldn't seek her out because he had no idea where she was, but he didn't see the harm in taking a quick patrol.

Just as he was about to leave, he heard the familiar twang of the string of Ladybug's yo-yo stretching, a soft clink following as it connected with one of the beams of the Eiffel Tower above him. His heart gave a great leap and he looked up, sighing in utter relief as he saw Ladybug swinging into view. And what was better was that she looked unharmed.  
"Sorry I'm late!" Ladybug called to him before her feet even touched the ground. She did feel bad- but she would feel even worse if she knew that Cat Noir had done nothing but fret about her all day. Cat righted his posture to look presentable as his partner landed beside him.  
"I had something that I really needed to take care of." She explained and then saw the expression on his face. Cat was not hiding his relief as well as he thought and it immediately sent off red flags in her head.

Giving him the eyeball, Ladybug paused.  
"Uh... Is everything alright? Is something wrong?"  
It was only then that Cat Noir realized that he hadn't said anything and it snapped him back to reality. He made a loose raspberry noise with his lips and rolled his eyes as well as his shoulders.  
"What? Pffft. No."  
"You looked kinda... Weird." Ladybug admitted, trying to put it nicely. She knew him better than that to be fooled so easily.  
"Me? Pffft."  
That was one too many raspberries to make, apparently, for Ladybug crossed her arms and quirked a brow. What was he hiding?  
"Well it's nice to see you too, Bugaboo." Cat Noir tried to save face with the affectionate little nickname. It successfully threw her off for now.  
"It's been a long time since I've heard that one." Ladybug smiled and nudged him with her shoulder.

"I still have my charm." Cat Noir assured his, flashing her what he considered to be a dashing smile; accompanied by a wink. Ladybug's smile grew and she rolled her eyes at him.  
"Of course you do, Kitty. Consider me swept off my feet."  
"Excellent. Does this mean I finally get a kiss?" Cat wiggled his eyebrows at Ladybug and not-so-secretly hoped she would relent.  
"Sure."  
Cat Noir was nearly floored and perhaps looked a little too eager as he leaned a little closer.  
"Really!?"  
Ladybug almost felt bad for the fact that he was gullible. At least with things like that.  
"Yeah, in your dreams!"  
His shoulders sagged and he bemoaned her answer with a grunt.  
"Make me wait all day and then break my heart. I see how it is."  
"I said I was sorry." Ladybug giggled softly and reached over to pat his shoulder reassuringly.  
"And besides, it's not my fault that you fall for things like that just about every time."  
"A man can keep hoping. I'll get that kiss someday, Ladybug."  
"Hm. Maybe in one of your nine lives." She laughed. _And maybe if my heart didn't already belong to Adrien._ She thought.

"So where were you today anyway?" Cat Noir finally asked, feeling a lot better now that they were back to their usual selves. Ladybug paused at the question, not really sure how to answer. She couldn't exactly tell him that Wang Fu had left her something important and it had gone missing. No one else knew about the pictures on that phone and she didn't know how close Cat Noir had been to the old guardian either. Another question began to burn within her- if she had been left something, did that mean that Cat Noir had also been left something? He didn't act like he knew anything about the funeral or inheriting items. Ladybug hated keeping secrets from her dearest friends, but this was one thing she needed to figure out on her own. They searched each other's eyes for a moment.  
"Well... You must have heard that Master Fu passed..."  
"Oh. Yeah." Cat Noir seemed just as troubled as she had when she had received the news.  
"I was there at the funeral." He blurted out without thinking first. Both of them froze.

Ladybug hadn't even considered that her fellow Miraculous holder might be there. She almost thought he was lying because she didn't recall anyone with blond hair being there. But she couldn't just admit that she had been there as well and didn't see him because it could possibly out her as Marinette. The two stared at each other, equally as unsure of what to say. It wasn't that she didn't trust him. It was that more trouble could happen from knowing who was under the masks than anyone could know. Cat regretted letting it slip because he knew that he had put them both in a position.  
"So... We can forget I said anything about that. It never happened." Cat Noir chuckled awkwardly, trying to help Ladybug out. He touched the back of his head and hoped that he undid the damage.  
"Good idea." Ladybug smiled back. He could only assume that she had been at the funeral too. He was no fool and deep down he wished that he would have gotten out of the limo. If he had saw her there... They might've been having a very different day. And Ladybug vowed not to ever make the same mistake again when the Miraculous were involved. She had been a little careless.

"A-Anyway. There were some things that I had to take care of. And I'm not sure what's going to happen now that he's gone." Ladybug frowned. Cat nodded and glanced behind them as the crowds slowly returned. There were always a lot of people around the Eiffel Tower at sunset. He reached up to touch her shoulder, lowering his voice.  
"Maybe we should take this to the rooftops. You never know who could be listening." He murmured. It was Ladybug's turn to nod.  
"Let's go."

 **AN:** There's another chapter down! Things are starting to happen and the stress is slowly mounting for our characters. Still lots to go so stay tuned for chapter 3.


End file.
